OUR FIRST SETTLER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8330, 16 January 1913, Page 7

OUR FIRST SETTLER

WHO WAS HE? EARLY HISTORY OF WELLINGTON CITY. MR ROBERT McNAB’S VIEW. To the Editor “ N.Z. Times.” Sir, —Some time ago you published a statement that Air J. C. Crawford was tho first settler in Wellington. Air Crawford writes an account of his travels, and gives full details of his coming to Wellington, and they appear to mo to negative tho above contention. Air Crawford came oyer in the Success in the latter part of 18351. He left mo vessel, wiiich had quite a number of other passengers on board, at ixapxti, and came via aiana and Porirua to Wellington, widen ho reached before his fellow-passengers. At the Piatt fie mot Robinson, who had resided among tho Aiaoris for two years, and at ixgaiiaurauga, Smith, whom Wakefield liad left as the representative of the company. The next day ho set out tor the South Island, and spent a short time in Queen Charlotte Sound with Arthur Elmslie. From there Air Crawford visited Te Awaiti, chartered a craft, and returned to Port Nicholson. Ho tells us that by this time three of his Success fellow-passengers had established themselves about Thorndon. He himself, <*f course, bad only spent one day at Port Nicholson on his first visit. This was now bis second visit, and ho only stopxicd long enough to take in stores for his craft, and sailed for Nelson, then known as Wakatu. Ho had so far done anything but “settle,” and quite a number of people had taken up their residence in Port Nicholson. Air Crawford failed to reach Wakatu, and after a considerable time returned "to Port Nicholson in a whaleboat. By this time “ some ” of the emigrant ships had arrived, and a small town was in existence. > We know that tho first arrived on January 22nd, 1840, and the second on the 31st. This third visit of Air Crawford’s could not havo been earlier than February, 1840. Up to that date, therefore, he had 1 not become a settlor, and the, number of those who had must have 'been very numerous.

How long Mr Crawford remained in Wellington after this visit in February is not stated, but he was in Sydney in June, and came back with some horses and cattle.

It is quite plain from Mr Crawford’s own account of his proceedings that ho did not decide to settle in Wellington until “some” of the immigrant ships had already arrived, and he gives the credit of starting to clear the forest to •Francis Melasworth.—l am, etc., ROBERT McNAB. Palmerston North, January 15th, 1913.